[UK-CONTEST] Linear (?) amps & use of Illegal power levels

[Ken Eastty]

Comparing cars capable of exceeding the 70mph speed limit (most of them 
today) with amplifiers which can exceed the UK power limit (again most 
of them) is well made. You don't have to spend long on any M'way before 
you are passed by a succession of cars all doing well over the limit 
providing that there's not a police car in sight or an average speed 
camera system in use (but even these don't seem to deter some drivers).

Sadly as in any competitive event there are always a few who will seek 
to gain an unfair advantage (there's a word for this beginning with C 
).  The problem with radio contesting which has already been made is 
that (with the possible exception of HF NFD) there's no effective 
policing which is why details of transmitters/amplifiers used should be 
published in the results. We could then draw our own conclusions about 
who might be running much more than the legal limit. This is not to say 
that some people might still be a little less than honest but at least 
there's perhaps a more chance of being found out (people talk). In the 
good old days when the GPO regulated amateur radio anyone running excess 
power stood a chance of gettng a visit from the from the local RI 
investigator, even regular station inspections deterred most (but not 
all - I can name a few G3O??'s) from using 813's (plural) on Top Band in 
the days of 10W DC I/P but these tended to be used mainly in the early 
hours of Sunday mornings when most RI chaps were tucked up in bed.

The idea of running 1500W (or more) puts everyone except those living in 
really isolated spots at a further disadvantage, not only do most of us 
have to work through the high noise levels caused by electronic devices 
in nearby houses but even 400 W already gets into telephones & triggers 
PIR lights, audio systems etc.  I'd like to believe that running a big 
amplifier resulted in a cleaner signal, unfortunately this doesn't 
always appear to be the case, some stations are louder & wider than they 
should be.
The idea of using ERP as suggested a little while back rather than power 
to the antenna (whose bright idea was that?) had the merit of making the 
playing field just a tiny bit more even, those with big arrays still 
gain on the RX side & in an isolated location lower noise levels.

When the subject of running Illegal power levels is discussed it's 
always interesting to see who doesn't take part, I draw my own 
conclusions from this....

73...

Ken

G3LVP